TRAMADOL: Police hunts, destroys N400m drugs in Lagos

Both the Lagos Police Commissioner, Mr Imohimi Edgal and the
Zone ‘B’ Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Sarkin Kebbi have hunted after
tramadol and other dangerous drugs and recorded varying degrees of success.

“We know there is a nexus between drugs and crime. Perhaps
the availability of drugs and arms are the reasons why we have crimes”,
the Police Commissioner declared as he destroyed over N400 million worth of
hard drugs on Wednesday, in a renewed war against narcotics in the state.

The Zone `B’ of the Nigeria Customs Federal Operation Unit
however in addition to three cartons of Tramadol 255 mg seizure, also
impounded 1,100 bags of foreign rice with Duty Paid Value of over N54 million
in Kaduna.

Imohimi destroyed the drugs at Elegbe dump site, Ikorodu,
Lagos State, giving assurance that the police would partner with other security
agencies to rid the society of drugs.

“You will recall that when I took over as Lagos Commissioner
of Police, I stated that I will fight crime with available resources.

‘‘The substances we are destroying here were recovered
during the course of raids on criminal hideouts.

“We know there is a nexus between drugs and crime. Perhaps
the availability of drugs and arms are the reasons why we have crimes.

“This is why we have decided to fight illegal use and sale
of drugs and we have been receiving assistance through partnership with
security agencies and the Lagos State Government.

“These drugs were seized between January 2018 and now.

‘‘Since our store had become filled beyond capacity, we
decided to approach the court for order to destroy them,” he said.

Edgal thanked the public for their useful information to the
police and urged them to say something whenever they see something.

Meanwhile, the Customs Zone ‘B’ Area Controller, Mohammed Sarkin Kebbi, explained Wednesday how the three cartons of tramadol were uncovered along Kaduna-Abuja road, concealed in a truck conveying motorcycle spare parts.

Conducting newsmen round the seized items on Wednesday in
Kaduna, the Controller who said the bags of rice were recovered from various
vehicles concealed in local rice bags, noted also that the seizure would not
have been possible without intelligence information from good Nigerians.

He further disclosed that each carton of tramadol had a
market value of over N5 million, thus putting the value of the total seizure at
N15 million.

He described the tramadol as drugs still being imported into
the country in large quantities, in spite of the ban on it.

He also highlighted that between December and January, the
command had seized 1,100 bags of smuggled foreign rice.

”We also have about 10 vehicles that are intercepted with
various smuggled goods,” he said, stressing that the seizure is important to
the Customs service in its commitment to stem smuggling including illicit
drugs.

“Customs will remain committed to preventing banned drugs
from getting to the teaming youths.

”Tramadol is very expensive and sell very fast because
criminals have been able to put the drugs into the market, ” he said.

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